Cui Bono: Benefit Roundup

April 2, 2007

Spring is in the air, when a young and reasonably well-off theatergoer’s fantasy may well turn to thoughts of benefits. On the docket:

April 14. Collapsable Giraffe builds itself up for The Beggar’s Benefit Party, which will benefit the upcoming production Pee Pee Maw Maw. The party at 3LD, will boast food, drinks, raffles, DJs,a nd performances by Matty Charles, Steve Cuiffo, Cynthia Hopkins, and The Quavers. Tickets $35-$200. Contact: benefit@collapsablegiraffe.org or 718 388-2251.

April 18. Celebrating the resurrection of the Easter Bunny (yay, bunnies!) rather than Jesus’s, The Civilians host Resurrection Vaudeville, to benefit their new show about Evangelical Christianity, Colorado Springs. “Includes complimentary drinks from event sponsors Tequila Corazón, Smithwick’s Ale, and Red Stripe Beer; full cash bar; silent auction; and raffle. Members of The Civilians will perform songs from the company’s new show about Evangelical Christianity—along with a few favorites by Michael Friedman.” Dancing also features. Tickets: $20-$2000. Contact: info@thecivilians.org or 212 730-2019.

April 23. The Hourglass Group seduces its patrons with an evening of wine, chocolate and lesbian pulp fiction, all to benefit Hourglass’s upcoming production of The Beebo Brinker Chronicles, Kate Moira Ryan and Linda Chapman’s adaptation of Ann Bannon’s novels. Leigh Silverman will direct. The benefit will “will feature performances by award-winning performers Lola Pashalinski, Kate Clinton, Carmelita Tropicana and and Roberta Maxwell reading Naughty Passages from Bannon’s novels. They will be joined by Beebo cast members Carolyn Baeumler and Anna Wilson and other surprise guests.” Tickets are $100. Contact: hourglassgroup@verizon.net

April 23. Target Margin offers an instructional affair, “How to Be a Greek hero: In Four East Steps.” This music-performance-dinner extravaganza honors Target Margin’s “hero,” John Catsimatidis, CEO of Gristedes Supermarkets. It may also relate to target Margin’s “On the Greeks” season. Tickets: $250-$25,000. Contact: gala@targetmargin.org or 718-398-3095

April 27. Franklin Furnace heats up the spring with “The History of the Future,” a celebration of 30 years of producing theater and performance. Former Voice writer C. Carr curates along with Roselee Goldberg and Frankin Furnace founder Martha Wilson. Live video performance will feature, as well as live performance by Karen
Finley, Murray Hill, Ishmael Houston-Jones, Tom Murrin, Julie Atlas Muz, Reverend Billy, Alba Sanchez, Michael Smith and Martha Wilson. The History of the Future will honor Marina Abramovic, Simone Forti, Claes Oldenburg, Yoko Ono, Yvonne Rainer and Carolee Schneemann for their pioneering performance work and Judson Memorial Church for its role as a cradle of experiment. Tickets: $20-$500. Contact: www.franklinfurnace.org or 718-398-725